The late morning sun was hot on my skin, soaking into the thick fabric of my shirt even though I rolled the sleeves up to my elbows. I had not waited for Rainbow Dash to wake up before I went outside, though I left through the back door since I thought that crooked, leaning chair under the front door knob was too important to move out of the way. I had found this old, rusted machine in her garage, and it was clear that it had not been used in well over a year.

The grass smelled so crisp and lovely to me, and the deeper into the lawn I mowed the richer and more green it grew. I stepped into the freshly cut grass, my boots pressing indentations into it which unfurled slowly as the normally out-grown, shorter blades met the sunlight. I pushed the mower roughly through the grass, feeling it catch on thicker bits here and there and choke on moss and twigs. It had taken an hour or two to get so far that I was in the front yard, cleaning up the mess that time and suffering had done to this once beautiful house.

I had already been around the windows and cleared out the cobwebs, and had even trimmed some of the dead branches in that charming oak tree. I was well past due for a break, but that was not something I took until the work was done and done well. It was relaxing to me anyway, a morning with purpose and duty.

It was so hot out under that blazing sun, though I was no stranger to working out in the heat. The only shade I received was the small shadow of my Stetson over my face and when I ducked under the low hanging branches. I could feel my body sweating beneath the folds of fabric that clung to me, and yearned to have been watering plants instead so that I might take a drink or a quick rinse. I reached down and undid most of the lower buttons of my blouse, pulling it untucked and tying it tight right below my breasts. The breeze on my heating skin was so satisfying, like a cool mist or an icy drink.

I pushed the old lawn mower through the tall grass of the front lawn, hearing it growl and desperately chew on the blades, clearly exhausted after being left unused for so long. I looked back at the work I had already done and caught a glimpse of her in the kitchen window. It was hard to see in at first, the house being so dark and the sun catching and bouncing off the now clean glass, but I saw her.

It was Rainbow Dash, and she was just sitting there, resting her head on her hand and staring out at me, watching me. I paused in pushing the mower to stand up straighter, leaning one arm on the bar grips as I wiped the sweat from my forehead. I raised my other hand, clothed with my own work gloves I always took around in the truck for when I needed them, and waved a hearty good morning to her.

Though she blinked blindly at me for a few seconds, she seemed to wake up and see my actions through the glass. A small smile spread across her features as she noticed me, and she weakly raised her own hand, not bothering to shake it around. It was nice, to see her smile at me again.

I continued to clear the lawn for her, stepping forward and using all my strength to force the mower to move again. I felt the long blades of grass get all cut up under my hands and spray about, hitting my pant legs or blowing about in the gentle breeze around my feet. I watched it clump up in cut up corpses over the young and fresh half-bodies of the remaining blades, and it did seem a mite sickening. But it would dry, and the wind would take it away.

As I finished up with the mowing, I had another look around the yard, knowing my work was not nearly done. I still had to climb up and clear out the gutters, finish pruning the trees and bushes, fix the fence that was falling apart, and scrub up the patio in the back. Still, I could feel my body weakening as I became dehydrated, my breaths heavy and dry.

I went around the house again, carrying the mower back there with me, and found my way to the back door. It lead to a small hall just behind the kitchen, where I knocked the dirt off my boots and removed my gloves one by one while I came inside. The air was much cooler in there, and I lifted my hat up and brushed my bangs back to feel the air on my face. As I entered the kitchen, coming around between the counter and the pantry, I noticed Rainbow Dash still in there, pouring something into a glass from a jug.

“Right on time,” She said without looking back, as I finished pulling off my work gloves and held them in one hand.

“Ah am? For what?” I asked as I walked up to her and tried to peek over her shoulder, but she turned around abruptly and held something out in front of me.

“It's lemonade,” Rainbow said as my eyes trailed down her arm to find it extended to me, the bright, pale yellow colour looking more than refreshing to my parched lips, “I made it for you.”

“Shucks, Rainbow, y'didn't hafta do that,” I smiled as I gratefully accepted the glass, and could feel just how cool it was in my hands, the ice pressing against the edges and drawing forth condensation, “But thank you, that's mighty kind of you.”

“Don't mention it.” Rainbow Dash shrugged as she took a second glass from beside the jug, clinking it with mine before she began to swallow the translucent liquid.

I was so eager to taste it, I brought it right up to my lips and took several huge gulps, swallowing the sour but sweet liquid and feeling it cool my stomach as it slid down my throat. A drop or two slipped over my lips as I drank so fast, but I did not mind it one bit. What I did mind, however, was the odd after-taste it left on my tongue. I took the last sip and held it in my mouth for a moment before swallowing it, realizing then what was so funny about it.

“Hey, this is spiked.” I told her flatly, and she just smiled like it was no big deal.

“Well yeah, it's just boring old lemonade otherwise.” Rainbow Dash stepped forward, standing right close in front of me as she reached up and wiped my still wet lips with the back of her hand. She snickered a bit, “Of course, watching you spill it everywhere was fun enough.”

“Shut it.” I reached over with a chuckle and messed up her hair—which I had just now realized had actually been brushed for once—bringing an irritable pout to her face.

“So, tell me something,” She asked, fixing her hair while I poured myself another glass of that toxic lemonade, desiring the refreshing taste whether it knocked me for a loop or not, “Why exactly are you outside, mowing the lawn?”

“Rainbow, the atmosphere in this place is keepin' y'down, livin' in a mess like this ain't helpin' you to a good health.” I told her as I took another cool sip, licking my own lips.

“Whatever you say.” She didn't seem to believe me, but that didn't keep her from asking, “Do you, do you need any help?”

“Nah,” I told her simply as I put the glass down, and walked past her, patting her shoulder lightly, “Y'just go 'head and rest, 'kay?”

“What if I don't want to?” She bickered as she took to following me to the back door, chasing me right at my heels.

“Trust me honey, y'ain't the type to much like yard work,” I reminded her with a light laugh as I made it to the door, though she took it as something of an insult.

“Hey! I'll have you know—” Rainbow stopped speaking and flinched as I suddenly turned around and closed the screen door in front of her, holding it that way.

“Don't make me get a chair for this door, too.” I smiled as I noticed her irritable expression settle in deep.

“Well, then can you at least, like,” She shuffled there in the doorway as I released my hold, wondering what had her uncomfortable to say, “Hurry up? I mean, maybe I want to spend time with you, you know, before you go back to your regular life and stuff.”

“Ah promise, we'll have plenty o' time together.” I vowed as I pressed my fist up against the screen, balling it up and leaning my knuckles onto it.

“Don't you lie to me, A.J.” She warned as she balled up her own fist and pressed it against mine, though I felt more of the screen than I did the warmth of her skin.

“Never.” I winked playfully and turned away, tucking my work gloves into my rear pocket as I went back over to the shed to see what her father had in the way of tools.

I decided it might be best not to climb up onto the roof after drinking that hard lemonade, so I left that chore for another day. Despite the hissing sun and the tedious workload, I was not the kind of girl who quit so easily. I was able to get around to pruning some more of the bushes around the yard, and pulled up handfuls of weeds from all over the lawn and house.

I found myself kneeling on her front steps cleaning out the moss from between the cracks a mere hour or two later, and by then I was more than glad to get back inside. I swept up the debris and dirt from the walkway that I had scraped up and finished watering the plants—taking a quick wash under the hose—before I was able to pry my boots off. I left the dirty things on the mat just inside the back door as I went inside, and even though I had worn my gloves nearly the whole time, dirt still found its way onto my fingers. I was in the middle of washing them up when Rainbow Dash found me again.

“I almost thought you were going to spend all day out there,” Rainbow whined as she came up beside me and leaned back against the counter. She stuck her bottom lip out while I splashed some water on my face, and I could almost feel her gaze trailing me and my still damp clothing from when I had turned the hose on myself for a spell, “I can't imagine how much time you've wasted at work on your farm.”

“It's a lifestyle, for sure.” I said as I tried to scrub around my nails, but the water stopped running over my hands as Rainbow Dash reached out and twisted the knob off.

“All work and no play, Applejack,” She smirked as she got near to me, and I felt my already sun-heated face grow warmer, “That can't help you to a good health, either.”

“That's what Ah got you for, ain't it?” I replied as I dried my hands on some paper towel, tipping my head back so my hat wouldn't block the lights above me from catching on any wetness or dirt I missed, “T'keep me young.”

“Applejack, you are young.” She reminded my flatly as she linked her arm with mine, tugging me backwards and towing me into the living room. “I think it's time I reminded you of that.”

“Oh?” I wondered as I raised one eyebrow, letting her lead me over to the couch and sit me down.

She went over by the television and knelt down, opening the little magnetic doors of the cabinet underneath. While she was busy, I reached down and undid the bottom of my tied shirt, doing up the buttons the right way again and ignoring the new wrinkles. Even while my hands were busy, I found it somewhat difficult to avert my gaze as she leaned over, I really wanted to see what she was doing, but even more, I wanted to watch her do it. It was a terrible thought, and I think it had something to do with that tricky lemonade she had got me to drink. Rainbow Dash bent down further as she reached into the cabinet, and I fiddled with my fingers as to not stare.

She sat back at last and pulled a couple objects out from under the television stand. Reaching up, she changed the input of the television and shifted through the settings a bit. I heard some electronic opening noise and heard her popping open some case, removing a disk from it. Finally she shuffled back and got to her feet, scurrying over to me excitedly as the television responded to whatever she had given it.

“What're we—?” I started, but she dropped some old, dusty controller right into my lap and plopped down onto the couch beside me, “Oh good lord.”

“That's right!” Her grin grew until it was strung up from ear to ear, “You and me Applejack, one on one!”

“Can't we just play a co-operative game for once? Y'always get s'darn angry when I whoop your sorry rear.” I reminded her with the beginnings of a smug smirk, remembering how these types of competitions usually played out.

“Who says you're going to win? If I remember correctly, we were pretty even in skill.” She argued as she set it up into versus mode, and I remembered the familiar noises and screens as they played out before us.

“Ah think all that vodka has warped your mind, sugar cube.” I joked as I leaned against her, nudging her a bit.

“We shall see,” Her eyes narrowed at me as she selected a character from the list, and I rolled my eyes with a laugh.

We had played a lot of video games when we were younger. She used to have the console and a small television up in her room, and she just loved fighting and racing games. I liked them too of course, but Rainbow Dash was especially interested in them, she didn't have much else to do at home or over the summer when there were few sports teams to join. I mean, we would go swimming and hang out with our friends and stuff, but Rainbow Dash always brought me home after for a few rounds of her favourite fighting games. None of our other friends cared much for that kinda thing, so no one else ever came to hang out. It was for the best though, those years were when we became best friends.

We played three different fighting and racing games that lazy Sunday, and every time we would be rather evenly matched, until she started getting cocky or angry. Then, I would take the lead. If I didn't win, she would stand up on the couch and cheer, hooting at me about it, or she'd take another drink. Either way, I did my best to assure I won instead.

While she was grinding her teeth and sitting on the edge of her seat, I was leaning back casually as I fought opposite her in a fighting game. I glanced over at her now and again, and found myself smiling. She sure was kind of cute when she was all frustrated and determined. A great big grin crossed her face and I shifted my eyes back to the screen, noticing the way it froze for a moment as she smashed the buttons for an ultimate move.

“Oh yeah, here we go, get ready to—!” Rainbow hollered loudly, but I cut her off as I manoeuvred my own fingers on the controller.

“Ah'm sorry, you were sayin'?” I smirked as she grabbed her bottle to take a victory drink, but jerked when she saw me avoid the move and finish a final combo, winning the match in a matter of seconds.

“Damn it! Why did that miss? I totally had you!” She shook the bottle around as the screen displayed my character as victorious, which only served to spill it all over her lap as she shouted in irritation. She jumped up as the liquid seeped into her clothing. “Oh for the love of— ugh. Applejack, I hate you.”

“Y'get s'worked up, y'make it too easy.” I told her as she put the bottle down, and I reached over to grab the blanket I had folded up over the arm of the couch after sleeping last night, dabbing it over her lap, “Here, lemme help.”

Rainbow Dash went uncharacteristically red as I began to rub the quilt over her lap, and I could tell from her contorted and scrunched up expression that she was holding her tongue. I didn't really mind cleaning her up, I mean we were best friends, I had been closer to her than this. I dabbed and dabbed closer up her thigh, and could feel her shuffling around under the attention, but I found it too funny and adorable to stop. Her eyes suddenly found mine, though I was busy scrubbing and trying to dry the fresh stains to return the gaze.

“Do you remember how mad my dad would get when we would stay up all night playing games?” Rainbow Dash asked suddenly, and I smiled as I recalled just such evenings as those, “He'd come and knock on my door like twenty times to tell us to be quiet.”

“Y'never listened no matter how many times he knocked.” I reminded her coolly as I pressed hard on her lap, holding the fabrics together to keep our skin apart.

“I know,” She laughed lightly as she moved against me, slinging her arms over the back of the couch as she willingly let me work on her, “He had to threaten me to make us go to bed. But even then, we were never quiet.”

“You kept me up all night talkin' my ear off.” I chuckled, though I enjoyed every conversation we ever posed and communicated through the darkness.

“Hey,” She sounded kind of hurt, so I looked up at her to gauge her expression, which was somewhat concerned or uncertain, “I loved those nights.”

“Ah never said that Ah didn't.” I smiled and agreed with her, pulling the now damp quilt off of her legs, looking at the damage, “This ain't dryn' up too good.”

“Whatever, they're just pants.” Rainbow Dash stood up suddenly and began to pull her pants down, right there in front of me.

I had seen her in her underwear plenty, and she was even in such a state when I first arrived that weekend, but her getting undressed in front of me was still unnerving. I watched the clothes fall in folds on the floor around her bare feet, which she then stepped out of. She sat down beside me again as I fumbled the quilt in my hands, putting it back over the arm of the couch even though it was dirty and damp now.

She didn't start a new game right away like usual. Instead, she leaned forwards and took a drink from the still moist bottle, though it was small and more habitual than it was necessary. She stopped herself as she was in the middle of it though, fighting the urges off as best she could. My eyes trailed down her body as I noticed the abnormality in her skin, the darker, pinker streak that trailed down her outer thigh. I had seen it before, but it hurt me to look at every time. She seemed to notice my stare and leaned over a bit, looking at it herself.

“Does it bother you?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously, and really it was no place of mine to say, it was a scar of hers and from something no one could have prevented.

“Uh, no, it just—” I couldn't lie to her though, “A little.”

“Yeah, me too.” She smiled sadly as she reached down and ran a finger along it, lifting the hem of her panties up to show me the extent of it.

It was a long, thin run of wounded skin, which had healed up quite some time ago I imagine. Now all that remained was that scar, that scar that was shaped something like a lightning bolt that ran up her thigh. If she had received it under any other circumstance, perhaps she might have been proud of the mark. But all that this particular scar held for her was memories of jagged metal, broken glass, and death. I could see the way the skin changed smoothness, colour, and shape over the mark, and I wondered what it might feel like on my hand.

“It's funny, well, in a sad way, I guess,” Rainbow Dash started as her expression hardened on the spot, her finger running along the length from bottom to top, teasingly trailing so high, “It was a terrible accident, and yet here I am, and I came out of it with just a damn scratch. And the others...”

“Ah think y'came out with a little more than a scratch, sugar cube.” I told her, and I honestly believed that. She was much more broken up than she seemed to realize.

“All the doctors kept telling me how lucky I was, well I didn't feel so lucky after all.” She leaned back into the couch and slung her arms around the back, looking up at the roof. “It all feels like a sick joke, really.”

“How's that?” I asked as I leaned my shoulder against the couch, facing her while we spoke.

“Well, like I said, it was an awful crash, like, newsworthy wreckage and everything.” Rainbow Dash snorted as she thought of such a thing, but she went on, “We get hit by this truck or something, and it sends us off in some direction or another, dad hits the brakes and slides off the side of the road. Next thing I know, we're down at the bottom of this hillside, the car has rolled over like three times and it's just crushed, it's totalled, it's gone. Mom's passed out or dead in the front seat, and dad, well he wasn't wearing a seatbelt, see, so he was thrown right out of the vehicle.”

“You remember that?” I asked as I cringed a bit, it must not have been a very good memory.

“Yeah, I mean it's fuzzy and dark and my ears were ringing, but I remember it pretty well. So I sit up a bit in my seat, and I see my little sister all—all like, like not sitting right. So I grab her and I start, like, pulling her out of the car, but I don't even realize she's already,” Rainbow Dash had to stop herself as that same old crying frown tried to force its way out, “I put her down on the ground and call to her, shake her and stuff, but she's so light, you know? Like, like a stuffed animal or something, her head just rolling from side to side from my hysterical shaking.”

“Ah'm sorry.” I hung my head a bit as the images came to my mind, imagining just how hard that would have been to stomach.

“That's how this happened, you know,” She gestured down at her thigh, at that lighting-bolt-like scar, “I had to crawl through the door, but see it was all bent out of shape, all sharp and jagged, and I had the kid in my arms. Doctor said I almost, like, hit an artery or something, and again, he said that I was lucky.”

“Y'nearly got yourself killed tryn'a save your sister, Ah think that's really somethin'.” I said as I stared at her, waiting if anything more would come from her.

“I was useless, though. I mean, I was there screaming over her body, and no one could hear me from the highway up the hill. And since I went and cut myself up, I couldn't even walk. So I just start crawling up the side of the hill, all pathetic and shouting, just crawling over the shards and debris that's left scattered up the hill from the accident. I dig my hands through the grass and the dirt trying to get a grip to pull myself up, but I'm really no good.” She looked at her hands for a moment, “By the time somebody did notice, it was too late for all of them.”

“Not for you,” I reminded her gently, “And your dad, he was still alive for a while.”

“Yeah, I saw him once in the hospital before he died.” Rainbow Dash said, but she did not seem pleased about the encounter at all.

“Ah know, Ah was right there with you in the hospital, remember?” I moved a little closer, and she glanced at me somewhat questioningly.

“Yeah, but now that you mention it, I still don't know how you got there. Who told you what happened, anyway? How did you know?” She asked curiously as she tilted her head a bit towards me.

“Y'didn't have any other family, Rainbow. There was no one for the doctors to call, no one to take you home or sit by you or nothin'.” I told her, though I thought she must have already known, “That is, 'til your dad gave the doctors my name.”

“What?” She seemed genuinely surprised to hear that, and she blinked at me.

“Ah got a call in the middle of the night sayin' somethin' had happened to you. Don't you remember? Ah showed up in my pyjamas, Ah didn't even bother getting' changed or nothin'.” I let her see a sad smile as I told her, “You were still asleep when Ah arrived.”

I leaned back again and remembered the scene, remembered sprinting through the hospital and asking every doctor, nurse or janitor where she was. Finally, I found my way, and there she was, all wrapped up in white like those utensils in a fancy restaurant I never knew quite what to do with.

I was desperately out of breath, leaning against the door as I saw the heart rate monitor, and it was still beeping on and on. Rainbow Dash was fast asleep, even with all those machines going off around her and those tubes and fabrics folding over her. I picked my Stetson up off my head and held it over my chest compassionately. It was the most relieving moment of my life, but it did not last.

“Excuse me,” A doctor came up behind me, and I turned to look at him even though my face was all red and I was all sweaty and scared, “Who are you?”

“Ah'm Applejack. Rainbow, she's my, she's my,” I couldn't even think of a good enough word at the time, but he seemed to understand well enough anyway.

“Did you know the rest of the family?” He asked me, and I didn't know why he would ask such a thing. They should have told him themselves.

“Yeah, where are they?” I inquired, but his lengthy sigh and hesitance told me already what had happened.

“Her father is still hanging on, but we are not hopeful.” Was all he told me, and it was not enough, I could feel my hands shaking profusely as I gathered her mother and sister were nothing left to speak of, “Yours was the name he provided us as Rainbow Dash's emergency contact. He told me that she has no other family, is that true?”

“Uh, no, she ain't got,” I bit back a whimper as I realized it fully, “She ain't got no one else.”

“She's got you.” His eyes were on me, and his words were golden. He looked down at his clipboard again as though he was faking being busy, but he spoke again, “Her injuries were minor, a few cuts and scrapes and a bump on the head. She's a very lucky young lady.”

“She ain't much gonna like hearin' that.” I murmured as I leaned against the door frame, adoringly looking over at her.

“You're welcome to stay with her,” He told me as he gestured to an open chair by her bedside, which looked so very comfortable despite the fact it was the cheapest, crappiest chair I could have imagined, “She hasn't woken up yet, I don't know if she will remember everything about the accident.”

“Thank you, doctor.” I nodded and gave him a weak smile, and he didn't ask for anything more.

I went over immediately, not deterred for a second by the fear of what she might look like. I sat down in that chair and pulled it up closer, inspecting her up and down like I would understand any of it. She was bandaged up, but there was still some dried blood and dirt hanging around. I knew something was wrong by the way they had folded up her arm to keep it from resting against her leg. Still, I sat there, looking right up at her restless expression.

I wondered if she was cold, or what she might be dreaming about. I didn't know much if people dreamed in those kind of states anyway, but I still wondered. I found myself reaching out and taking her hand, though it felt rough and small in my own. We were always very close friends, but something like holding hands seemed like a new thing for us. It felt right though.

I noticed her hand move against mine, and her body stirred as it did. I sat up fully and watched her grumble something as her eyes opened, though they were so very tired and still half lidded. There was a small, weak smile that broke out as her eyes settled on me, and she placed her other hand atop the one that I already placed on hers.

“Heya, there's a sight for sore eyes.” She spoke in a raspy voice, hoarse from lack of use or perhaps from overuse, “Why am I—?” As if the world had slapped her, she became solemn again and pulled away.

“Rainbow, how do y'feel?” I asked carefully, trying to ease her into the situation she already seemed to plummet head-first into.

“Like I was hit by a truck, A.J.” It was some attempt at humour, but she did not seem totally invested in it, “Where's Scootaloo? And, and my parents?”

“Do you remember the crash, honey?” I spoke so gently it was almost a whisper, but she did not snap at me about it, she just looked disappointed.

“Yeah, yeah I do,” She affirmed with a slow exhale, and her eyes caressed mine despite the horribly abrasive and distant words, “They're dead, aren't they?”

It physically hurt me to hear her say that, especially since she just sort of got all stoic about it. From my reluctant reaction, she gathered that it was true. With a simple accepting nod, she looked down at her feet at the end of the bed, and her expression settled calmly. I had expected her to get angry, to shout or something, but she just sat there uncharacteristically despondent.

“Your dad, he's alive,” I tried to tell her, but it did not seem like good news to her ears, “But the doctors say he ain't gonna last long. Y'should see him.”

“Maybe.” Rainbow Dash replied expressionlessly, her body for once completely still. Her eyes gradually found their way to our hands, which were still together on the bed, “Applejack?”

“Yeah?” I piped up as I watched her with concerned eyes.

“Could I have a moment alone?” She asked in a hush, and something was so very unsettling about her expression I contemplated denying the request.

“O'course, sugar cube.” I stood up, feeling the hold of our hands shifting as I changed positions. I stroked her with my thumb once over her knuckles, and I could see then how dirty her hands still were, bloodied and beaten with dirt around her nails. “Ah'll be around if y'need me.”

“Yeah, and now I can never seem to get rid of you.” Rainbow Dash shook her head with a sad smile. I looked at my own hands then, and this time they were the ones dirtied.

“Nnope.” I dragged the word out in a low voice, causing us both to crack real smiles.

“I did take your advice though, I went to see him.” She told me, and I had never really known for sure about that. “A nurse wheels me in, I couldn't walk well with the stitches in my leg, you see. Anyway, I get in there, and he's awake. He can speak and everything, that's what they told me.”

“What'd he say?” I asked curiously, but she scrunched up her face a bit.

“Nothing, he never said anything.” Rainbow spoke in an emotionless tone, “He just sort of turned and stared at me, with that frown that led his wrinkles down to his chin, with those judgemental and blaming eyes. Like it was my fault. Like it was all my fault.”

“Y'know it wasn't.” I said sternly as I stared at her, hoping she knew that.

“Who knows,” She leaned back and scoffed, “He was drinking, sure, but I was provoking him. Neither of us were entirely innocent. Still, there I was at his freaking bedside, and he didn't have one good thing to leave me with.”

“Maybe he just didn't know what to say.” I proposed, and though it seemed she wanted to believe it, she couldn't, “He ain't the kind to apologize neither.”

“That's for sure.” Rainbow huffed a laugh and nodded. “I bet he only gave the doctors your name as a cruel joke, just to screw with me.”

“Y'can't know for sure.” I prodded, but she brushed the comment off as she let out a breath and leaned back against the couch fully.

“I know he was a tight-lipped old goat,” She spat, and the words sounded kind of funny to hear, “But he could have at least tried, is all. I mean, I'm not much better with feelings and crap, but I try.”

Her eyes slid closed as her arms folded up behind her head. For a moment or so she said nothing, she just breathed out slowly and rested there by my side. Something was definitely on her mind, I could tell. She opened her eyes slowly and she looked at me, with this serene and admiring gaze. She chewed on something in her head as she sized me up, but finally she opened her mouth and let it out.

“Can I, can I show you something, Applejack?” She wondered, and she tilted her head towards me on the cushion.

“Anythin'.” I nodded with certainty. All this sudden honesty was more than all right with me.

“Promise you won't laugh?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow but her expression seemed more nervous than usual, like this was something very dear to her.

“Ah would never laugh at you, Rainbow.” I told her, finding it almost insulting that she thought I would. I knew she was just not accustomed to feeling so vulnerable, if I were to laugh at her about it she would be crushed, and she had to protect herself from that.

Rainbow Dash sat up and looked at me, scanning my eyes for any inconsistency or lies. Finally, she seemed comfortable enough, and she reached out and grabbed my hand, jumping up, “Okay, come with me.”

She yanked me to my feet and dragged me after her towards the stairs once more. She didn't bother turning the television off, and to my surprise she didn't bother grabbing the barely-touched bottle of vodka she left on the coffee table. I smiled as I followed her, noticing that her steps for once were actually somewhat sober.

We rounded the corner at the top of the stairs still in a brisk jog, and she pulled me into her bedroom without hesitation. I noticed that it was actually a bit cleaner, like she had pushed the trash off the ground and moved some clothes around. To boot, her bed was actually somewhat made. She had this little yellow notepad sitting on the end of it, and she hurried over there to grab it before I could get a look. She went over to the far end of the bed and looked over at me, slapping the covers twice for me to hurry and sit down.

As I did what I was silently commanded, she pulled over a little wooden chair that had been shoved in the corner last I saw, which no longer held a mound of clothing or trash. She pulled it right up in front of me, so near our legs were almost touching. She squeezed her knees a bit and rubbed her legs a few times, which might have been because she was cold, leaving them bare like that, or because she was nervous. Before she said anything, she looked around on the ground for a replacement pair of pants, which she found by her closet in the form of a pair of blue shorts.

She sat back down in front of me as she finished pulling them on, and again, she just sort of bit her lip and fidgeted. I thought it was mighty cute of her to be all shy for once, but I didn't tell her that. Instead, I leaned forward to capture her eyes in my own, and gave her a supportive smile.

“Rainbow?” I said her name quietly and received her full attention, all of it forced out towards me in those bright pink eyes, “I ain't gonna force you t'do nothin', y'know.”

“That's not it,” She told me, and I noticed then that she was blushing a bit and holding back a larger grin than the smile she displayed, “I've just never really shown anyone this kind of thing, but I don't feel like I have to, it's like, I really, really want to. I want to show it, and I want to show it to you, only you.”

“Well then what's stoppin' you?” I returned her smile as I sat back up, patiently waiting for whatever it was.

“Nothing, you're right.” She resolved herself as she slapped her legs once lightly, turning around suddenly and pulling something out from behind the chair, which I hadn't really noticed leaning up against the dresser.

I blinked as I recognized the instrument, a familiar old thing in a big black case, which she readily popped open, “Your guitar? Ah thought you ain't even touched that thing in years.”

“I haven't really, but once in a while, I get a thought about something, and so I jot it down.” Rainbow said as she put the case down and let her fingers run over the nicely finished wood, “When I woke up today, I kinda felt, I don't know, motivated. I've been working on this, this song for a long time. And I finished it this morning. Just, just don't laugh, okay?”

“Ah won't.” I swore as I put my hand over my heart.

“It's still pretty rough,” She felt the need to defend herself or something, but the more she did the more my smile grew, “I'm not too good with rhymes and tunes and stuff, and it's not perfect or anything, but I just—”

“Rainbow,” I reached over and put my hand on her leg, stopping her mid sentence and snatching her attention in one move, “Just play. Ah wanna hear it.”

“Okay, okay. Um.” She pursed her lips as she checked the tuning of the strings, and she worked up the courage to get going, “Here goes.”

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat two or three times as she settled down, her breath shaky and anxious. Finally, her right hand moved at once and fell into a rhythm, the strumming clear and charming in her fingers. As her confidence grew, the chords rang out louder. She took a slow and uneasy breath, starting the words out quietly before she got used to the sound of her voice.

I sat in silence for a moment, watching her head drop down bashfully. She ended the song abruptly, stopping the vibrating chords in her hand. She didn't look at me, she was too intent on looking at her bare toes digging into the rug at her feet. I could not stop smiling, my eyes and heart entirely drawn to her.

“Ah'm speechless.” I said at last, shaking my head in reverence as she checked my expression to figure it out, “Honey, that was incredible. Ah never knew you could write like that.”

“You're just saying that.” She murmured self-consciously, and I snapped back readily, determined to show her just how much I actually loved it.

“Ah ain't! Rainbow, that was, that was,” I searched for words but fell flat, staring into her brilliant eyes. I wished that I could show her more honestly and tellingly how she made me feel as she sang, but the only idea that came to my mind was to return that kiss she had lent me earlier. I couldn't tell you why that sort of thing was on my mind, but I settled for borrowing a word from her vocabulary instead, “Awesome.”

I moved forward and embraced her suddenly, holding her firmly against me as I pressed my face into the crook of her neck. At first, she didn't seem to know how to respond, but as I held on longer she returned the hug. The guitar shifted between us a bit, but I didn't mind. I felt her rub against me and I hummed lightly, enjoying the contact with my best friend. We pulled away simultaneously and our eyes met in the middle, crooked smiles mirroring each other just the same.

“I really missed hanging out with you, A.J.” Rainbow Dash told me then, and it felt good to hear.

“Ah missed you too, y'crazy-haired loon.” I told her as I tugged at a little tuft of blue hair, “But you'll hafta miss me a spell longer, Ah would just love a hot shower right about now.”

“As long as you don't drag me in there with you.” She joked as she took her guitar off of her shoulder and tucked it away into the case. I chuckled as I left her in her room for a mere few minutes, looking back once over my shoulder to catch her watching me leave.

I hadn't bothered to lock the door, Rainbow knew I was in there so she would not accidentally walk in or anything. I was standing beneath the water, which from the shower head poured out with much stronger pressure than the one in the farm house provided. I closed my eyes as I dipped right underneath it, feeling it run over my skin and cleanse me of any dirt, labour, or impure thoughts. I rubbed my hands together, the feeling of my own fingers seeming dull or boring to me. The crashing, spraying water was loud against the white tub at my feet, the same tub that I had filled up and splashed a reluctant Rainbow Dash into a mere two days ago.

I slipped my wet fingers through my hair, splicing it against my scalp and creating rivers between the crown of my head and my neck. I ran my hands down my body, feeling the warm water splitting between them and running in streams, dripping off my elbows and chin. My skin was flushed due to the heat, I'm sure, but it felt so very comfortable anyway.

Inch by inch my hands slipped down my body, and I scrunched up my face in wonder as I realized just how much I enjoyed it. I felt a smile twitch onto my face under the slipping droplets of water, rerouting them around my cheeks and dimples as they formed. My stomach quivered as my fingers almost tickled the sensitive muscles, and right before my closed eyes there was a face, and on my lips was a name.

I jerked back to reality suddenly as I realized just what I was imagining, and knew there was something terribly wrong. Whether it was her sneaky lemonade, her partial nudity, her confiding in me or what, something had driven her into the confines of my mind that were better left alone. Curse her and her lack of boundaries and her darn charm. I fumbled and grasped at the knobs for the water and frantically turned off the hot first, hissing and wincing as the cold ran over my once enticed form.

After letting the cool water run on for longer than I had planned, I finally turned it off, standing there shivering in that shower, dripping wet from head to toe. I breathed a hot huff of air to attempt to release the heat from inside of me, but I doubt it worked. I knocked my loose hair over my shoulder, squeezing it through once or twice absently as I tasted the clean water that still hung over my lips.

I wiped the water off of most of my body before I went to grab the towel, which I had folded up and left right beside the shower, but my hand found only vacant air. I blinked in surprise but searched again, still coming up empty. Now, I was no moron, I knew exactly where it had gone. I bunched up the shower curtain and wrapped it a bit around myself as I leaned out of the shower against the tiles on the wall. There she was, standing there with a sheepish grin on her face, clutching my towel to her chest.

“Rainbow!” I barked at her, and she nearly fell over in shock as my shout echoed in the small room, “What, exactly, are y'doin?”

“Uh, standing guard?” She tested the waters, but I was in no mood for her little games.

“Gimme m'towel already, would you? This ain't as funny as y'think it is.” I tried to reach out and grab it, but she pulled it away and I could not follow without losing my hold on the shower curtain gown I had adorned.

“On one condition,” Rainbow started, and I paused in my feeble attempts to snatch it from her to listen to her deal, “See, I went downstairs to get myself a drink.”

“Lemme guess, it ain't water y'drank?” I raised my eyebrow and picked at her, though she did not seem to mind the snide swipe.

“Well, no, but that's not the point.” She shrugged it off and stepped a little closer, teasing me with her nearness to my grasp. She played around with the towel and her words, coming up with a way to say it, “See, I realized that my, uh, drink, had been spilled all over your blanket, remember? So, I have an alternative proposition.”

“And what might that be?” I asked blankly as I stared at her, noticing the way she shifted about.

Rainbow Dash held back her initial smile by biting her lip, but her eyes flickered up to mine and her words were unusually soft and provocative, “Sleep with me.”

“Now—what?!” This time I was the one who nearly fell over, almost losing my grip and slipping on the tub at my feet as I heard such a request.

“Relax, I didn't mean anything more than innocent, scout's honour,” She argued slyly as she extended her index and middle finger and waved it once, “It would just be nice to, you know, fall asleep next to somebody for once. We were talking about those night when you'd sleep over, and, I don't know, I miss that.”

“Ah don't remember sleeping much those nights.” I murmured as I recalled something more like bickering.

“Oh, and I'm the perverted one?” Rainbow smirked, and I blushed as I hurriedly tried to tell her that was not what I meant. She just laughed and brushed it off, “I'm kidding! Just, well, what do you say?”

I chuckled a bit as my eyes found her nervously wiggling bare toes, before I looked back up to her impatient, anxious expression. I leaned a bit more on the curtain and swung out towards her, keeping my tone sultry and smooth, “If you give me m'towel back, Ah'd kiss you.”

“Well, that can be arrang—” She stepped forwards nice and close to me with this devious grin on her face, which was dashed as I snatched the towel back. “Hey!”

“For an athlete you're a mite slow on the reflexes, honey,” I told her as I tucked the towel under my arm before reaching back out, poking her on the nose and giving her a playful wink, “But thanks for the offer.”

She grumbled something as I swung back behind the curtains, proceeding to dry myself off bit by bit. I huffed a few more laughs at her grumpiness as she left the bathroom. I thought about her proposal all the while as I wrapped the towel around myself and pulled the curtains open, finding the tile floor cool on my pinkish feet.

The bathroom mirror was steamed up, and I wiped it once with my hand to get a view of my face. Of course, the hand print I smeared across was faulty, oblong and awkwardly shaped by my fingers, and steamed back up slowly as I brushed my hair back over my shoulder. Luckily for me, Rainbow had not thought to steal my clothes to use as a bargaining chip for something else mildly scandalous.

Not that I found her proposal unpleasant by any means, in fact I actually thought it would be nice. When all the lights are off, people talk about stuff they don't normally say when faces and expressions can be seen. That's what I had found with Rainbow, anyway. Besides, it's not like it would actually mean anything to sleep beside each other now just because we're older, right? Like she said, it was completely innocent, we had slept side by side a hundred times before.

I slipped my clothes back on over my slightly damp body, hating the way the fabric stuck to my skin and gave me trouble. I squeezed the towel around my hair numerous times until I was satisfied enough with the dryness to let it fall over my blouse. I adjusted the wrinkled collar a bit and finished doing up my belt before I went over to the bathroom door and opened it.

I stepped one foot back as she tumbled backwards onto the floor at my feet, her shoulders landing over my front-most foot. I stared down at her dully as her wide eyes blinked a couple of times, her body laying half on the hallway hardwood and half on the bathroom tile. Clearly, she had been sitting outside the door waiting, and had fallen in as I removed her back support by opening the door. I smirked a crooked smile and crossed one ankle behind the other, placing my hands on my hips as I peered down at her.

“Do Ah even wanna know?” I asked rhetorically, and she just forced a little laugh while my eyes found the vodka bottle next to the door frame which had likely accounted for her clumsiness, “Ah said it before, an' Ah'munna say it again: you're crazy.”

“You love me anyway.” She flashed me a cheeky smile as she hoisted herself back up, wobbling a bit as she snatched up the bottle and twisted the lid on tighter.

“And why're you still carryin' this around?” I plucked it from her hands, but for once received no protest or recount of rules from her, “Y'don't need this stuff.”

“I know, Applejack, it's complicated.” She tried to explain as she went right towards her bedroom, hoping the conversation would drive me after her, “Who's to say what we really need and don't need, right?”

“Ah suppose.” I murmured as I did as she wanted, escorting her and her toxic friend into her room.

“So, when are you leaving, anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked as she nodded me into her room before she closed the door behind me.

“Dawn, actually. What, y'want me gone already?” I inquired jokingly, and she gave me an irritable or pouting look.

“That's not it, Applejack,” She told me as she went back over to her bed, taking the bottle from my hand and placing it on her night stand before reaching over and flicking on her lamp, “I just know you have school and stuff, the weekend is almost over.”

“You'd have school too if y'didn't quit after high school.” I reminded her, after all, she would have had an easy time getting a scholarship in sports, if she had cared.

“You're lucky I stuck all the way through high school,” She shook the bottle at me as she dared a small sip and a cock of her head, “I only did that to hang out with you guys, anyway.”

“If Ah recall right, y'skipped most of it any who.” I smiled as she gestured for me to turn off the overhead light, which I did, leaving us only in the dim lamp's glow.

“Well, not all of us are so motivated to keep their lives together.” Rainbow told me as she laid out on her bed, looking at me like I was so much better than she was. It made me very uncomfortable. “Besides, the crash happened like, right before you all started college. You had been trying the whole summer to convince me to go with you, and I almost caved. Until that all happened.”

“Ah know, Ah ain't blamin' you or nothin'.” I told her as I went over to the bed, sitting on the side of it and leaning back to look at her.

“You should, for one thing or another,” She cracked a smile, “First off, for all those times I would take you off campus during lunch time and keep you late, you'd get so worried that you would get caught or get in trouble.”

“Yeah, y'used to tell me, Applejack,” I imitated her higher pitched, raspy little voice and she found it rather amusing, “You really need to loosen up!”

“I totally said that!” She agreed with a loud laugh, which I joined in on. “I was right, though.”

“Yeah, maybe.” I snorted as I leaned back onto my hands, watching her as our laughter subsided, and I recalled her wording, “Wait, y'said first. Then, what's the second thing I should blame y'for?”

“Well there's probably a much longer list than just two, A.J., but since you asked,” She grinned as she sat up, grabbing my forearms in her own and yanking me over to her. I think I yelped or shouted as I was pulled up to her, but I was too focused on keeping myself from landing flat on her to pay much attention. Next thing I knew I was lying on top of her, holding myself just barely above her.

“What'd y'do that for?!” I asked loudly, and she actually full-on laughed at me. I shuffled my knees around her hips as I got a better hold of myself, keeping my irritable expression in check.

“Applejack,” She said my name much more calmly than I expected, and my eyes clashed against hers while I struggled for comfort, and her playful expression stalled me, “You really do need to loosen up.”

“Oh, don't you start, y'little tramp.” I told her off as I climbed off of her, instead laying on my side right up beside her and digging my elbow into the bed to keep my head upright.

“You flatter me.” She turned her head to face me and met my eyes, smirking sarcastically.

“All right, Ah'm here.” I gestured to the bed and room around us, adjusting my cheek as it rested on my hand, “Y'said that you wanted it to be like when we used to lie here together. All I ever remember is stayin' up all night talkin'. So, y'wanna talk, Rainbow?”

“Talk?” Rainbow Dash became a bit more serious as our gazes penetrated each other so completely and honestly. Her cheek twitched and teased a smile, but it disappeared as she sat up a bit, grabbing the vodka bottle of the table and bringing it to her lips as she tried to shrug the subject away, “You know, I feel like I've really spilled my guts to you, Applejack. I mean, what's left to talk about?”

“How about that?” I asked carefully as I nodded towards the bottle in her hands, and she slowly lowered it from her lips, seeming less comfortable with speaking about it than I expected.

“What, my drinking? Isn't it clear?” She scoffed obnoxiously, obviously trying to get by without addressing it too much, though that seemed to be exactly what she did in her snide tone, “I'm just a dumb kid with crap luck, running away from my issues instead of dealing with them.”

“Is that it?” I wondered, raising my eyebrow and waiting for more. She did not keep running though, she just let out a breath and actually answered me.

“Well, I think so. There isn't really any other reason I would do it, right? I don't really know what I like about it, honestly,” She turned the glass container over in her hand as if she was studying it, “I mean, it doesn't taste very good, it makes me sick and clumsy and stupid, and it's expensive."

“Ah don't think it's much about likin' it any more.” I suggested to her as I tilted my head just a bit more, observing her reaction.

“Maybe not. Because if that were the case, I would have stopped a long time ago. Because the more I think about it, the more I realize I really don't like it.” Rainbow Dash frowned and glared at the thing that fit so well in her hand, and she shoved it back onto her bedside table roughly, “I mean, it was his vice, Applejack. It's something that he left me, and it hurts almost as bad as those judgemental stares of his.”

“Y'mean your dad, right?” I had to be certain of that, though she made it pretty clear.

“Yeah. I never wanted to be anything like him, but here I am, and even though he's gone, it's like we're never been more similar.” She sighed in frustration as she laid back down beside me, furrowing her brows at she looked at the ceiling.

“Drinkin' ain't exclusive to your dad, Rainbow, plenty o' people do it.” I tried to be consoling, but she didn't seem to bite, “Your dad had a lot more wrong with him than a little indulgence.”

“It sure didn't help him relate to any of us.” She nodded slowly as more of her life began to spill from her mouth, “He used to lock himself up in his study, or stay out late claiming he was at work. All he really did was push everyone away and polish off his own poisons. I'm not doing much differently, Applejack. I'm pushing everyone away too, worse,” Her eyes met mine in the dim light, and the dull orange lamp cast her eyes as red, glistening like wine and just as enticing, “I'm pushing you away.”

“Ah'll be honest with you, Rainbow, Ah don't like it when you drink s'much.” I spoke with my own honesty, leaning over her a bit, “Ah like it when you're you, Ah like knowin' that the things you say to me, or, do to me,” I blushed a bit as I fought off the memory of her lips on mine and struggled to make myself heard and understood, about all of it, “Ah like knowin' that all that stuff is real.”

“I never thought it would get this bad, Applejack.” She admitted reluctantly as she avoided looking back at the bottle, staring at me instead as she made up her resolve, “But I can promise, I can promise that I'll be better.”

“You ain't gotta—” I tried to tell her, but she would not let me go on.

“I do, I do!” She turned towards me and grabbed my hand, holding it between us in both of her own as she swallowed her pride for once. “Applejack, I would do anything for you. Drinking, it's, it's, whatever, I'll fix it.”

“Ah wanna believe you.” I said gently, knowing things like this were not as easy to shake as speaking about it was.

“You will. I want to be better for you, Applejack. So maybe one day, maybe we can,” All of Rainbow Dash's features slipped into an excited smile, as she looked back up into my eyes hopefully, “Maybe you can look at me differently.”

“Differently how?” I inquired, finding her suggestion somewhat vague.

Her smile grew larger and she bit at her lip in this childish little act, her natural charisma and charm enthralling me once more as the words came out and captivated me, “I think you'll want me to answer that sober.”

I think I knew what she meant about that, and realizing it made my skin flush red enough to notice even under such dim lighting. It was one of those things that I had mentioned, one of those things I wanted to know was real instead of just an act or thought based on lack of sobriety and excess of isolation. She turned around and clicked off the lamp behind her before she decided to pull down the covers and climb beneath. I followed suit until our bodies were beneath the surprisingly cool covers, and we lay facing one another.

Though at first our hands were touching between us as we stared into the vast darkness where we knew our best friend lay, that did not seem to satisfy our needs for intimacy. Soon enough, I was staring up at the ceiling, with my arm wrapped around her small body, holding her against me. Her head rested on my chest, but it was not heavy or uncomfortable, in fact, it put me at ease. Her legs entwined with mine beneath the wrinkling covers and she pulled me closer, her own arms around my midsection.

Something about all this felt very much more than simply friendly, and it make me nervous to think about. I didn't know if most friends cuddled like this, in fact I wouldn't have pegged Rainbow Dash as the kind to want to curl up beside me anyway. But here she was.

I let out a slow and hot breath as I tried to calm down enough to sleep, or enough not to alarm her with my frantic heartbeat, which surely she could hear while her head was on my chest. I found myself smiling though, knowing that the darkness would obscure such a fact from her prying eyes. I allowed myself to enjoy the moment while it lasted, because come tomorrow, everything would go back to the way it had been before the weekend began.

Author's Notes:

So, Sunday has arrived, and the weekend is over. Oh but don't worry, the story is not. I hope you liked the song, I did write it myself but tried to keep the wording similar to Rainbow Dash, so it was a bit of a challenge.

ALSO the girl who sings the version of the song in my youtube video is a good friend of mine, and you can find more of our collaborations on our channel, MacknToth (I do the lyrics, background vocals, and harmonica, she does the singing and guitar and the music stuff).

So... comments?